Ogunleye realizes impact of preseason

August 06, 2005|BY JOHN MULLIN.

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. — Exhibition games don't really matter. Just don't tell that to the Bears or the Dolphins--or defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, whose entire career was altered in some measure by an exhibition against the Bears.

"They aren't important for anything but evaluating your team," new Dolphins coach Nick Saban said, "until you don't win. Then it becomes a big deal."

The Bears were 5-11 last season, the Dolphins 4-12, which is how teams earn the dubious right to draft running backs at the fourth and second slots, respectively. So two teams that have lost that winning feeling will start trying to get it back when they square off Monday night in Canton, Ohio.

"We definitely think they're trying to make a statement," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "We are too. We were 5-11, and we can't wait to get that bad taste out of our mouths."

The Bears have to be happy Ogunleye is on their side this time against Miami. The last time the teams played in an exhibition was 2002, a game in which Ogunleye beat left tackle Bernard Robertson to sack Jim Miller on the Bears' third play of the game. Miller sprained an ankle on the play, starting his injury slide of that ill-fated season.

Ogunleye was at right end for starter Jason Taylor that night, unable to win a starting job outright. Later Ogunleye beat then-rookie tackle Marc Colombo for his eighth sack of that exhibition season to force coach Dave Wannstedt effectively to make him the starting left end opposite Taylor.

"I remember that preseason was real pivotal for me," Ogunleye said. "I had eight sacks and set the record for the Dolphins. I wasn't even a starter going in, and that game was where I solidified myself. Coach Wannstedt, as reluctant as he was to name me the starter, after eight sacks in the preseason, did it after that."

He's back--sort of

Cornerback Jerry Azumah was back in camp but only as a visitor after his hip surgery in Denver earlier this week.

Azumah will be out for the next several weeks after having arthroscopic surgery to clean out what was causing inflammation in his hip.

"It's good to have Jerry back in town," Smith said. "Of course, he'll have to stay off his feet for a while, but it's good to get him back with his teammates."

The Bears had a brief scare at their other cornerback spot when Charles Tillman went up to contest a pass to Justin Gage and was hit in the eye. Tillman remained down briefly but was up with the help of members of the team's medical staff and returned to practice later.